Some people say crows are evil. Some say they bring death and disease. Some say they are omens of bad luck. But Ash knows better. Kevin, the crow who Ash saved as a chick, is a friend. A friend who understands when Ash feels sad or lonely. And a friend who knows about Ash's special place - the Crow Tree. It's where Kevin lives and where Ash goes to escape his worries. But when developers arrive to cut down the Crow Tree and build on the field, will Ash be brave enough to speak out... before it's too late? Crow Wars is part of the Astro range from Rising Stars Reading Planet. Astro books are ideal for struggling and reluctant readers aged 7-11. Each book is dual-banded so that children can improve their fluency whilst enjoying exciting fiction and non-fiction relevant to their age. Reading Planet books have been carefully levelled to support children in becoming fluent and confident readers. Each book features useful notes and questions to support reading at home and develop comprehension skills. Interest age: 10-11 Reading age: 8 -9 years

Callum and his friends find Iona poaching on Callum's farm. She is not supposed to be there, but Callum feels bad about chasing her away. He finds her shivering in the woods, refusing to leave. There is a secret hidden in the forest above the dark waters of the loch, and Iona is its guardian. When she decides to trust Callum with it, they form an indestructible bond that will change Callum's world forever... And then I saw it. I saw the secret hidden in our valley. No one else knew about it. Just me, and Iona. Firstly published ten years ago to critical acclaim, Sky Hawk has been captivating readers ever since.

Joe has always loved the moorlands above his home: the wildness, the freedom, the peace. But since his father died, everything has changed, and the moors are no longer a place of refuge. Now the whole community is divided over the fate of the hen harriers that nest up there in the heather - and Joe is stuck right in the middle, with a choice to make, and a huge secret to keep. Joe can't do what's right for everyone. But can he find the strength to fight for what he really believes in? Expert storyteller Gill Lewis presents a beautiful tale of loss, expectation, and change - with an important and thought-provoking environmental message.

Excluded from school, Dylan is forced to move to a tiny village in Wales where his grandad lives. With no Xbox or internet, life is looking pretty bleak, but when Grandad takes Dylan out on his boat to see the whooper swans, things begin to change. Out on the water, free from all the pressure he's been under, Dylan begins to feel like himself again. But when the swans' habitat is threatened and tragedy strikes at home, can Dylan keep going when it feels like everything is slipping out of control again? A profoundly moving novel on the redemptive, healing power of nature from bestseller Gill Lewis.

When twelve-year-old Tam is sent to work at a bear farm in the city, he has never felt so alone.
He hates seeing the cruel way the bears are treated, but speaking up will mean losing his job. And if he can't send money home, how will his family survive? When a sick cub arrives at the farm, Tam secretly nurses it back to health and they develop an unbreakable bond.
Tam swears to return his beloved cub to the wild, but how will they ever find a way to be free? 

When Willow crosses the boundary to the patch of woodland behind her house, something amazing happens: she enters The Wilderness, where magic and nature collide. It holds more than you could possibly imagine: secrets, shadows, a witch. Even a monster. Here she meets the Wild Things, a group of children who have taken on the characteristics of the wild creatures they are named after. For when you are in The Wilderness, the only limit to the world is your imagination. To her family she is simply Willow. To her new friends and in her new world, she is Willow Wildthing. With beautiful, lyrical storytelling from Gill Lewis, and stunning two-colour illustrations throughout from Rebecca Bagley, this is a joyful celebration of the power of nature and the imagination, encouraging children to explore, be curious, resilient, and adventurous.

Can a timid rat ever become a hero? Tilbury is about to find out on the adventure of a lifetime, journeying across the sea to the realm of the dreaded White Death, to return a priceless diamond to its rightful owners. A marvellous adventure begins and a truly intrepid hero is born . . .

Times are tough for Cari and her mum. A violent storm has flooded the valley where they live, destroying their home and cafe business. Things seem bleak - but hope appears in the form of a plan to reintroduce beavers into the area, as the changes that these amazing animals make to the waterways might prevent another flood. Cari knows that she has to get involved. But with the project facing resistance from locals, can she convince them to give the beavers a chance - and will it be enough to save her home from being destroyed for a second time?

In the Wilderness, where magic and nature collide, there are magical creatures and strange powers at work. In this story, and the Wilderness is in danger, the Wild Things - a group of children who have taken on the characteristics of the wild creatures they are named after - must create a magic spell written from the heart; a powerful enchantment to ensure that the Wilderness will never be destroyed.

Bobbie is thrilled that a golden eagle has settled in the forest near her family's farm. She loves to walk the hills with her granny and watch the bird soar through the sky. But not everyone shares Bobbie's awe for the spectacular bird. When her granny's beloved dog is killed by poisoned bait, it soon becomes clear that someone is out to get the eagle - and they're ready to take down anything, and anyone, that gets in their way. Bobbie is determined to save the eagle but is it worth the risk? A stunning new wildlife adventure from multi-award-winning author Gill Lewis. Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant or dyslexic readers aged 8+

This beautifully illustrated story is an adaptation of the Welsh legend of Cantre'r Gwaelod, the lost area of Wales which disappeared beneath the sea. This drowned land was once a pleasant and prosperous kingdom, its low-lying fields protected from the waves by a high sea wall. But only Mererid, the storm child, knows that the tide-gates are failing and the next storm will breach the wall. As clouds and ravens gather overhead, she must race to save her friends and the kingdom before it's too late... TreeTops Greatest Stories offers children some of the world's best-loved tales in a collection of timeless classics. Top children's authors and talented illustrators work together to bring to life our literary heritage for a new generation, engaging and delighting children. The books are carefully levelled, making it easy to match every child to the right book. Each book contains inside cover notes to help children explore the content, supporting their reading development. Teaching notes on Oxford Owl offer cross-curricular links and activities to support guided reading, writing, speaking and listening.

A beautifully illustrated story of freedom, music, and seeking refuge. A small group of refugees is crowded on to a boat on the sea. They share their stories as the boat travels towards the dream of safety and freedom. One boy, Rami, has brought his violin, and his story of how the violin was invented, and of a stallion that could run like the wind, weaves through the other stories, bringing them all together into a celebration of hope and of the power of music and story. A very special, beautifully illustrated, fable for all who strive to understand, and to stand together with, those around them. Gill Lewis is the multi-award-winning and best-selling author of novels such as Sky Hawk, White Dolphin, and Scarlet Ibis and A Story Like the Wind is her lyrical and unforgettable response to the refugee crisis, which will linger on in the mind long after reading. Beautiful charcoal illustrations from Jo Weaver give this book a very special feel and make it a perfect gift.

Present day: Semira doesn't know where to call home. She and her mother came to England when she was four years old, brought across the desert and the sea by a man who has complete control. Always moving on, always afraid of being caught, she longs for freedom. 1891: Hen knows exactly where to call home. Her stifling mother makes sure of that. But her Aunt Kitty is opening her eyes to a whole new world. A world of animal rights, and votes for women, and riding bicycles! Trapped in a life of behaving like a lady, she longs for freedom. When Semira discovers Hen's diary, she finds the inspiration to be brave, to fight for her place in the world, and maybe even to uncover the secrets of her own past Gill Lewis is the multi-award-winning and best-selling author of novels including Sky Hawk, White Dolphin, and A Story Like the Wind. This is her unforgettable tale of friendship, hope, and finding the courage to fight for what you believe in.

In the Wilderness, where magic and nature collide, there are magical creatures and strange powers at work. In this story the Wild Things - a group of children who have taken on the characteristics of the wild creatures they are named after - discover another group, the Bark Skins, have taken over their camp, and won't give it back. A battle of the camps begins with witches, dragons, dragon's eggs and the two warring clans. Can they resolve the dispute and live alongside each other in The Wilderness?

Izzy and Asha need a space to call their own, away from difficult families, the Skull brothers and the trouble they bring. But the derelict building site where they stake their claim already belongs to something else, a wilderness they never expected and an injured wolf that desperately needs their help. Can they reconnect to the wild and save the wolf? Or is their pack too weak to fight much stronger powers? A stunning tale of our lost connection to nature and the wild that hides in us all, from renowned storyteller Gill Lewis. Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant or dyslexic readers aged 8+.

Between dog and human there is a special bond. A bond that must never be broken . . . Pup and his boy are inseparable. But both their worlds change forever when Pup is cruelly taken away and abandoned. With nowhere else to turn, Pup becomes a Street Dog - part of a misfit pack fighting for survival on the streets. Pup clings to the hope of one day being reunited with his boy. But as time passes, his hope shrinks. Will he ever know love like his boy's again?

When twelve-year-old Tam is sent to work at a bear farm in the city, he has never felt so alone. He hates seeing the cruel way the bears are treated, but speaking up will mean losing his job. And if he can't send money home, how will his family survive? When a sick cub arrives at the farm, Tam secretly nurses it back to health and they develop an unbreakable bond. Tam swears to return his beloved cub to the wild, but how will they ever find a way to be free? Deeply moving and powerful, Moon Bear is an unforgettable story of compassion, hope, and bravery against overwhelming odds.

'The white dolphin is a sign that Mum's out there . . .' When they first meet, Kara and Felix can't stand each other. But on discovering an injured dolphin calf on the beach they know they must work together to save it. Now friends, they set out to find the truth behind the disappearance of Kara's mother, and to protect the nearby reef. But powerful people don't want them to succeed. And with the odds stacked against them, how can Kara and Felix make their voices heard?

In the Wilderness, where magic and nature collide, there are magical creatures and strange powers at work. In this story the Wild Things - a group of children who have taken on the characteristics of the wild creatures they are named after - find that their camp has been destroyed by a flood. If only it would stop raining, then, perhaps, they could enjoy the meteor shower and the wishes that they make on the shooting stars would come true.

Longlisted for the 2015 Carnegie Medal. Red asks, 'Will we always be together?' 'Always,' I say. 'Just you and me in that little boat, watching the scarlet ibis flying back to the Caroni Swamp.' Scarlet's used to looking after her brother, Red. He's special - different. Every night she tells him his favourite story - about the day they'll fly far away to the Caroni Swamp in Trinidad, where thousands of birds fill the sky. But when Scarlet and Red are split up and sent to live with different foster families, Scarlet knows she's got to do whatever it takes to get her brother back . . . Once read, never forgotten - this is the deeply moving new story from award-winning author Gill Lewis, now available in paperback.